Located in southeast China's Fujian Province, Quanzhou city used to be the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and the biggest port of the East in Song and Yuan Dynasties (960-1368). During that period, sea trade between China and the West was flourishing as never before. Many of the merchants were Muslims from Arabian countries, who transported precious spices and crude drugs to China and carried away Chinese silks and porcelains. Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou, as the oldest mosque existing in China, is a historical witness of the cultural exchange between China and Arabian countries. Qingjing Mosque was built in 1009, following the architectural style of mosques in Damascus of Syria.